It’s too soon to guess what might happen on the next season of Dancing With The Stars, but, so far, three pros have hinted or made comments in interviews, blogs, or at twitter that they might not be returning for Dancing With The Stars Season 16 or even there after?

First, we have this tweet by Cheryl Burke. It makes one wonder if The Bachelorette is truly in her future among other things?

Big Finale today!! 14 amazing seasons for me. Can't believe it's all coming to an end. Good luck to all the finalists tonight!

Maks has also been hinting of a “break” next season. Note however (and correct me on this if I’m wrong Maks fans?) that his contract with Dancing With The Stars is not up for two seasons. Below are his exact words in his recent TV Guide blog.

I have not made a decision about next season yet. To be honest, I have many offers and I might need a break.

As for Derek Hough, I’m going to let our Miss Heidi tell us what she knows on him. As you know Derek welled up with tears last night talking about Dancing With The Stars making one believe he is exiting the show. He talked with reporters afterwards about it. Read this from EW….

“I was shocked at how I reacted,” Hough told reporters afterwards. ”I was sort of overwhelmed and could barely speak, to be quite honest, because of all the memories of the show and how amazing it is. It was overwhelming. I couldn’t even describe the feeling and I always want to be part of the show in some way. Who knows but …”

But what? Is the three-time Mirror Ball winner finally ready to hang up his dancing shoes? “There’s so much I want to do,” Hough said. ”It’s just about the next chapter. It’s been ten seasons of this and I’ve won three times and the seasons I haven’t won, I’ve been more than proud of and it’s been extraordinary. I feel like it’s conquered and on to the next, you know?”

Heidi, what do you think?

Heidi: I think Derek is gone – I think he has several irons in the fire and is just waiting for them to start up. I think the only reason he isn’t confirming it is because it would take away from Melissa and Tony’s win and would be in all the media. Too late, it already is. I could certainly be wrong and he could find himself free in the spring and decide to do one more – but a man doesn’t burst into tears if he’s uncertain that he’s coming back. That said to me he’s certain. From what I heard, there was a lot more to that interview on DWTS where he talks about how much the show means to him and so on that makes it even more obvious. Show insiders were very surprised, as was Derek, by how emotional he got. You don’t get that emotional if you are coming back. But what I thought was hilarious (and true) was this statement from Inside TV:

This isn’t the first time a popular pro has hinted about bolting. Almost every year, Maksim Chermkovskiy generates headlines by suggesting he won’t return to the ballroom. Maybe that’s why, for now, Hough will only say this: ”We’ll see. I can’t say right now.”

LOL – they’re on to you, Maks. You DO make a big production every season before the show…”Will Maks be back??” I think he’ll be back for his two seasons he has left on his contract. He’s the boy who cried wolf too many times – how can we take his comments seriously? It’s the same thing he says all the time. If he DOES take a break?? Good – I think he needs one. He seems tired of it.

As for Cheryl?? Well, good for her. I hope she does take a season (or two) off because I do think she’s burned out. Very glad she got Emmitt and not Gilles, even though Gilles turned into a d-bag, big time, with Peta. I think Emmitt grounded her more and made her work a bit harder and didn’t allow her to rely on the sex appeal of her partner. A nice change of pace. I do think she will be back – for the direction she has taken in her career so far (dance studios, endorsements), she needs the show MUCH more than Derek does. Ordinarily, Maks would too, but he has Val to be the face of “Dance with Me”, along with Tony. So he can take a break.

I'm a fashion and music fan....and I have always loved dancing too of any kind. Dancing With The Stars seems to have this way of bringing all of those things together. One of my favorite dancing quotes at the moment: "No matter what, nobody can take away the dance you've already had...." ~Gleb Savchenko . For fun music and dance mixes, visit WilUnleashed Soundcloud. To view my photography site, see Lisa Kay Photography.

I hope they are all gonne but from different reasons. For Cheryl it is her time, she had 14 seasons, I’m not a fan but she sure know how work her partners and sell it on the dance floor, She made it to the finals 6 times, more than any other pro (second would be Derek and Mark with 5), I respect her and I’m glad she had this season with emmit because she actually looked like she was enjoying her self more than just competing.

Maks just hasn’t care about the show for so long, he is there but he is not there, I think erin was actually the last time that he did care for the competition.

Derek is a big lost, but it is his time, he deserves bigger and better things, I really hope that things will work out for him like they did for Julianne. He went out with bang, his best season, and that is the way that I want to remember him on the show. I don;t want him back with someone that can;t handle his full force brillance.

Yes, Vogue, Maks has two seasons left on his contract, it’s up at the end of 2013. He says every season that he’s not sure if he’ll be back, so who konws. He’s also said he’ll be back if they have a partner for him, so your guess is as good as mine. As for the title of his blog, he said elsewhere and I don’t remember where, that HE did not title the blog, TV Guide did. 🙂 Will he take a break? He just might this time.

I think Cheryl and Maks need a break. I wouldn’t miss them much, to be honest.

Derek, however, is too good for this show. It’s holding him back, IMO. It’s interesting how the pros want to branch out to movies, the Bachelorette, etc. It’ll be interesting to see how all that goes. I know Derek will blow us away on Cobu 3D. I’d watch Maks act just to see how he does-no expectations, really.

It’d be nice to see how new pros would fare. Tristan has been awesome, but Peta not so much. The troupe isn’t a great indicator, except for Henry. And yet, we need something new-and while Derek has shown us he can be fresh and innovative in his tenth season, he’s risen way above this reality show-he’s a star.

I’ve been thinking of Heidi’s suggestion of an all new pro cast, and now with the possibility of Derek and Cheryl (and Maks eventually, when he feels like it), I think we’ll definitely see some new pros.

For a lot of the pros, DWTS is their jobs and their publicity. Like Louis-he seems really jealous of Derek sometimes, and though he is good at choreography, it seems the show has been lukewarm for him, with whether he’s included or not. And when he’s not, he appears to really want to be back on again. For pros like him who aren’t going to branch out (like Tony), I wouldn’t want to oust them-but maybe new blood is needed among pros.

So I’m conflicted if any mass leaving. But something needs to save this show. Shawn and Derek were, in my opinion, the only bright spot. Wait, Tom Bergeron was awesome. But the judges, producers, Brooke, and a lot of contestants were….well, not all that enjoyable, I think.

Well I think his OTRC interview gives everyone the most direct answer…George asked him if this was it and he beat around the bushes but his final line was i don’t think much could top this…i think its the perfect segway…and he trailed off. Thank you Derek Hough for everything!

I think Peta revealed herself to be a pretty bad pro, in terms of working with your celebrity. Her choreo wasn’t much to write home about either. I hope like HELL that Tristan does a better job than that with a good celeb. I would hate to be disappointed again.

You don’t have to get ALL new pros if they go with my suggestions for revamping the show. 🙂 That is, make a syllabus list for each dance style and they can’t score higher than an 8 if they don’t include 75% of the moves – or even 60% – the point is for it to be a well defined, established, PUBLISHED number. Then, once you do that, you remove the RIDICULOUS restrictions of “no lifts” or “no frippery” etc. That way, a choreographer like Derek can’t be randomly punished for doing something that others have done but not been punished for – like “not enough in hold” bullshit that is totally random and changes from celeb to celeb. Or too many “non syllabus” steps. If you have to have a set percentage of the syllabus in the dance and you DO that (regardless of what the moves are – who gives a fuck if it’s not Len’s “favorite”), the a choreographer like Derek can still create a mind blowing routine without being worried about the vagaries of Len or the hormones of CAI. Yes, you would still get crazy judging behavior, but I would lay money if they define what they’re looking for and put a number on it, the craziness goes down because otherwise they’d be open to a lot more criticism. How do you give someone like Derek a 7 when you have 75% of the moves typically seen in a Samba but you leave out one specific move and there’s a cow sitting off to the side while you dance?

But better yet, if someone like Bristol Palin comes along and can only pull off 3 or 4 out of 10 syllabus moves….she can’t do better than an 7.5. That’s a HUGE problem solved and you wouldn’t see those sorts living so long past their self life without having a MASSIVE (and I mean truly massive) fanbase.

I think Derek is gone, likely for good. If his schedule opens up unexpectedly for the spring I could see a small chance of him sticking around for one more. I feel conflicted, as I love having him on the show but for him personally it’s gotta be time to spread his wings and see what he can do creatively outside the confines of DWTS. Maybe do a guest dance or two, I’m sure they’d welcome him back with open arms.

I like Maks, I really do. He annoys me at times, he can be hypocritical, and his choreography is not as strong as others. That being said, I think he’s very funny and when he’s paired with the right partner he is extremely entertaining. When he’s not (Hope) it’s a train-wreck that I can’t not watch, although in that particular case I wanted it to end end end end. Anyway, I think he is an asset to the show. I would love if he wasn’t so “C Family” oriented and if he was able to get past the Karina thing. But I do like him around cause it’s an element of drama. I expect he’ll be back at least one more season, or two to fulfill his contract and then he’ll explore options.

Cheryl, well she wasn’t so bad this season because of Emmitt, but her choreography hasn’t wowed me in a long time and her attitude stinks (again admitting that she was better this go-around) and I think she will really benefit from a break for the Bachelorette or anything else that she pursues. I’ll benefit as well, hahaha.

I really didn’t like Peta this season, personality, entertaining, or choreography-wise. I can do with being weak in one or two of those if the other is strong, but when you are missing all three for me I could do without her. She was fine with Donald so I hope that next season she’ll be more tolerable and step up her choreography cause she wasted her partnership with Gilles – who admittedly, was annoying as hell, but the man STILL has a lot of natural ability that she completely failed to showcase or work with.

Part of me wonders how much more Karina has left in her. After having some WONDERFUL partners in JR, Ralph, and Apolo but still having a hard time with the judges for two of them, I could see her being disenchanted with the whole thing, also in part because of the C Family and their treatment of her.

That being said, she’s my favorite female pro and I think she brings the best chance for wow-factor stuff outside of Derek and occasionally Mark, and I love watching the detail and difficulty she pours into her routines, and her dancing itself is always astonishing to behold (as long as it’s not hip-hop lol). Hope she sticks around and gets another partner that she can show her stuff off with.

Looking forward to seeing what Henry can do. Would like if Lacey came back in lieu of Cheryl, although from what has been stated on this site it doesn’t seem likely.

Is there any chance Tony will bow out? If I were him, after 14 seasons where he was nowhere near the finals most of the time, I’d thank Melissa and the fans, grab my MBT and dance poster, and hokey-poke my way into the sunset. He’s a sweetie, but he’s never going to get a shot at a 2nd trophy. Why put up with another Kate Gosslin or Wendy Williams when you can spend time with your family and run some of your business partner’s studios? Let Maks do the celebrity interviews and let Val become the “Dance with Me” pin-up on DWTS.

Was Julianne there for the other seasons that Derek made the finals after she left the show? She was last night. I took that to mean that he was pretty sure he was leaving, and she wanted to be there for him. I could be wrong, but I do think he’s leaving, though, like Julianne, if there’s a compelling reason for him to come back and do the show for another reason (cross-promotion, Chuck Wicks, whatever), I could see him doing one more. That said, I wonder if, in retrospect, Julianne would have come back for that Chuck Wicks season — given how it turned out with him, and also because, while I don’t think it did her any harm, I don’t think it did much to help her career either.

I wonder how many of the pros see through the judging as well as Derek seems to – he seems to view it as much more a reality show than most of the others do. I think it took Maks 15 seasons to start to realize what Derek understood after 2 – but what about people like Karina?? She was a rather obvious victim of the judging games – I wonder if she understands it for what it is??

And as for the rather obvious cliques – I wonder about that too. I think if I were Derek or Karina, I’d be pissed off half the time at what some of these other idiots say in regard to them and the show. Yet, I just watched Derek and Shawn on Access Hollywood and Derek is describing how extremely happy he was for Tony, because he’s had some rough roads on the show, and how great it was seeing the sheer joy on his face when he won. I think the cliquish types benefit from others ability to “rise above.”

And, possibly, the only way to somewhat force the judges to be consistent. How do they not understand how the show works after 15 seasons? Crazy.

I think dancing is an important part of this show, but entertainment more so. I got into it because I love watching celebrities learn to dance. It doesn’t matter so much as to whose the most improved, or who has what experience, but just to see great dancing and how they all grow as a dancer and, sometimes, as people. But all this tinkering by the producers and the games by the judges just took the enjoyment out of it for me. I don’t know if I’ll be watching next season. If Derek does return, I will-but I think I’m hoping he’ll stick to his word and leave. The show needs him and his creativity, but he doesn’t need the show anymore.

Maybe setting what steps are expected and the set corresponding scores would help, definitely. The producers always want to change the show in weird ways.

If Maks, the bad boy, and Cheryl, the slightly disappointing staple that needs renewal-take a break/leave and they recruit new pros willing to be innovative the show might get a second wave. I think they should stop with the theme nights, weird challenges, etc-and just follow the lead Derek left for them-to be new and exciting, while being grounded in what has always made the show special.

-I’m going to miss Derek, but I do want him to be happy. If the show is still on in 4 years and he decides to come back for that season I’d welcome him. I hope he comes back for the 300th (and 400th?) episode, but if he can’t, he can’t. I’ll never forget his choreography.

-Maks gets the show a lot of media attention, so I bet the producers will miss that. I think he’ll be on for seasons 16 & 17, but after that I’d say he’s out.

-I still haven’t “forgiven” Cheryl for season 14. I lost almost all respect for her last season, but she did come back down to earth this time. I don’t really care if she takes a season off or not. If she’s smart, I think she should stay for season 18. With Maks & Derek both out I see her getting a big pay check, due to producers trying to hold onto their last pro with media buzz.

– I think Kym’s seasons are numbered. I think she’ll be back next season, but I’m not sure how many after that. I’m not sure how long Anna & Karina will be on either. I know who I want to see next season, but if memory serves me correct, you have a different post for that. So, I’ll save it. All in all, the pros on this show are like the cast members of SNL. You HAVE to say goodbye to ones you love. You GET to say goodbye to ones you dislike. And every once in a while a new person comes along with some great talent.

PH, your pondering might have been rhetorical, but for what it’s worth, I think after a few seasons most of the pros see through the judging, but unlike Derek they’re either unwilling or unable to change how they respond to it. Changing the “Man in the Mirror” takes commitment and an inner strength that not everyone has. It’s easier to feel hard done by, get angry, and complain.

It’s still early days, but I think Tristan has figured out how the judging game is played and is following Derek’s example. I believe there have been occasions when I’ve seen a glint in his eye and a slight thinning of his mouth when The Stooges are bashing his celeb’s performance, but he hasn’t been goaded into a negative response (yet).

Next season will be interesting for sure – even if just Derek and Cheryl leave. I do agree that some changes need to be done to the show to somehow level the judging, I still do not understand why judges dislike Karina so much. She is the best female dancer and choreographer on the show – why they always penalize her and her partners? And what they did to Derek this season – that is just bizarre, they love and respect him more than any other pro – did they just think he and Shawn had it in the bag and they could do it without actually affecting the outcome?

As for Karina, I do not think she will leave, simply because she needs the show – she has a line of cosmetics, exercise program, bearpaw, etc. etc., she needs to be out there – and as far as I can see – the show is her only choice right now. She is really building an empire – and she is the one and only face of it, she really cannot afford to leave the show, not now anyway.

it would absolutely suck to lose all three of them in one season, say what you will, but those 3 make up so much dwts history for me

derek – i think is 100 percent gone for at least a season. i think the rest depends on how his career pans out. if its anything like his sisters, he’s gone for good, if not, i see him back in a few seasons.

cheryl- its sad for me because cheryl is the sole reason i started watching the show (my mom loved her and emmitt) and through the ups and downs she will always be one of my faves. I think she might actually take a season off, but i definitely think shes returning

maks – i dont think maks is going anywhere just yet. his ‘fam’ is on too much of a high with peta, tony winning, and his bro making the finals. so i think he’s in too good of a mood to take a season off right now, but i can see him doing it in a season or two

@AR, yes, she was there, they just didn’t put her front row. Last night was the first time since she left that they didn’t bury her away in the audience. Whenever Derek was in the finals, she was there…. Even when she was in NYC doing a press tour, she managed to get to LA for her brother, and back to NYC both nights of the finale. As for Julianne leaving, they were not about to let her go, and they were in discussions for a while, before they tricked her…. Told her yes, they would allow her to leave, and then turned around and invited her (then) boyfriend on, promising him that he could dance with Julianne.

I will miss Derek….

I do agree that they need a bunch of new pros, and I would prefer no more chmerbots.

I think season 16 will have a major pro shake up. If you look every 3 seasons has had one. Season 7 introduced Lacey as well as Maks coming back and some small changes. Season 10 saw the couples get reduced from 16 to 11 and with that a few pro’s were dropped. Again in Season 13, Peta, Val and Tristan were introduced.

I expect it to follow in pattern and Season 16 to see some changes. However, i do think that Tony might not return and will leave on a high with a win.

Oh…. It just hit me that even though Derek has not definitively said yes, he’s leaving the show, that every single person in the ballroom last night KNEW!!! by just the little bit that TPTB allowed to be shown of what Derek DID say (the part in the package) that it was his last dance. How many other times does anyone remember a STANDING OVATION for a package? I’ve been watching every season regularly since Season 3, and that was new to me.

There may have been one or two that I’m not remembering though,but that SO spoke volumes, I think.

yo, I think part of what has held Derek back this long is that it takes such a long time for what you create to see the light of day and he knows that going into movies or TV could mean a very long time before we actually get to see any of it. I think the live TV and live audience part of DWTS really spoiled him – gave him instant gratification, which you don’t get from films. He commented on it after doing Cobu, how it was somewhat tedious and how much he liked the live audience of theater or DWTS. Anyway, Kenny Ortega, during that Emmy Choreographers panel, said that he would push his way to the front of the line to work on a Major Motion Picture with Derek – even if they had already started something, it could be two years before you see it. There was also an interesting exchange between the two of them about Top Hat coming from West End to Broadway, in reference to Derek’s future. Very curious. But again – all that stuff seems to stay in development for a long time.

I don’t think that “a couple seasons” is going to be enough of a test to see what kind of career he’s going to have. That stuff just takes too long. It seems like it went fast with Julianne, but only in the last year and a half has she really seen a lot of really noticeable success (and by success I mean she is a working actress) – she’s been gone from DWTS for what? Four years?? And she’s still considered relatively new to the movie world thing.

Martin, Season 9 with 16 couples was an aberration, not part of a pattern. The patter has been 10 to 13 celebs for nearly the entire run of the show. Maks wasn’t part of a shake up any more than Derek was in Season 13. Each took a season off.

Heidi, I love your idea of getting new pros. I still love so many of them and want some of them to stay…but, I’m ready for Sonny, Henry, Sasha, Oksana, and Sharna to be moved up a level too. I think it would be a refreshing change for the show.

Derek – echo what everyone else has said! Brilliant and now needs to show non DWTS viewers how brilliant he truly is.

Cheryl – needs a break. I think it would be fun to see her do the Bachelorette, I wouldn’t watch but it would be funny.

Maks – I think this whole “is he or isn’t he” coming back thing every season is a pathetic grab for attention. I really used to like him but immature and mean spirit comments has made me a non-fan.

IMO This show needs new pros. With Derek gone that leaves Karina and Mark for the hopes of truly innovative choreo. Tristan has potential but has not yet had an opportunity to show us.

Peta, who has never produced a memorable routine for me with Donald’s freestyle as an exception, is a waste of a pro spot. I really think another pro could have done more with Gilles and kept the Lord Douche personality under wraps. She allowed him to act the way he did, she had to know how it was coming across. I think even little Chelsie would have been like “hey when I pinch your arm stop talking”.

@Kelsie: I agree that Karina and Mark are the few who really take risks but don’t forget Kym. She can get really creative given the right partner (ex. Hines, Donny and Joey). I think Tristan showed that he can do unique chroeography with his first two partners but Pam didn’t stand a chance this time around. I really hope they give him someone with a lot of personality next season.

I’m now convinced that Peta’s win with Donald in season 14 was the byproduct of Donald just being a hard-working, likeable guy who knew how to market himself well and fans getting fed up with having Katherine and William shoved down their throats, and maybe had less to do with Peta’s skills as a choreographer and a teacher…because some of the stuff I saw her doing with Gilles this season (and some of the stuff she let him get away with) tells me that she still has a lot to learn before she can be grouped in with other “powerhouse” champion pros like Derek, Cheryl, Karina, Mark, Kym, & Julianne.

I agree that Cheryl could use a break – the feeling I got from Deep Throat is that Cheryl seems to have lost a good bit of the passion that she once had for the show, and comes across a bit apathetic in rehearsals. Things are less “We have to drill this until it’s perfect!!!” and more “That’ll do, let’s call it a day.” I remember hearing stories last year about how she & Rob’s rehearsals were about as much fun as watching paint dry, because neither one really cared much about doing the show until they realized midway through the season that Rob was actually pretty good and had a decent shot at winning. We saw glimmers of the old Cheryl this season, which I credit Emmitt for, but I think a season completely removed from the show could do some good. Give her time to really miss the show, and rediscover her creative spark…because it seems like Cheryl really needs to get her groove back.

I’m having a hard time believing that Maks might not be back next season, for the simple reason that we’ve heard that story before…multiple times. I think he said he might not be back after season 11, then again after season 12, ditto after season 13. If he was going to take a season off, I think he would have done it by now – and with only 2 seasons left on his contract, he may as well just finish them out.

Cringing just thinking about who from the troupe might luck into getting promoted to full-time pro to fill in any gaps left by Derek and possibly Cheryl – I think Henry is the only one that actually deserves it, and I just cannot bring myself to like Sharna…from day one, she’s been “Lacey Lite” to me, and her constant self-promotion and campaigning to get promoted on Twitter just bugs. I think they’d be much better off bringing back Lacey, but I don’t see it happening – I think they’ve discovered after two Lacey-less seasons that they’re fine without her, and I think she’s discovered that she’s much happier in Vegas. I could even tolerate a crotch doily dress or two, if it meant I didn’t have to watch Sharna as a pro 😛

Yes, there are more than enough pros to fill all the slots any given season. But it is the producer’s fault for not nurturing the newcomer pros. They had that New Pro Contest, which I thought was great. But Anna only did one or two ? seasons and the runner-up was never heard from again.

Why can’t Derek do one season each year?

Of course, while getting know, the show and pay are great, but it seems like many of the pros have now have lots of irons in the fire, including getting paid for demonstrations, marshal of the parade, etc. Someone should write a book on this re-discovery of dance.

Peta’s track record as a pro is nothing to write home about. Her first season/partner was a disaster. Her second season she won with a charismatic likable partner who knew how to play the DWTS game and IMO carried her to a win with help from Karina and her choreography. Her third season she was handed the golden goose on a platter and not only could she not get him the win but she couldn’t even get him to the finals. Possibly one of the most popular in demand celebrities to ever appear on the show went out in sixth place generally being thought of as a douchebag.

She’s got visibility and a name now as Maks’s girlfriend. That’s how she gets most of her publicity. I think she knew exactly what she was doing when she hitched her wagon to the Chmerkovskiy gang.

Bruce, if you want to do the type of things that Derek has said he wants to do, pretty sure you have to have an open schedule. At this stage, a producer is likely to find someone else if Derek were to say “Sorry, can you wait till june? I have to do DWTS for 14 weeks.”

I think part of Peta’s problem is that she lets her PARTNER be the the one in charge of the partnership, not her. It worked well for her with Donald, because he KNOWS this show inside and out, and definitely much better than she, but not so much with either “Metta World Peace” orwhateverheisknownasnow, or Gillesthe….

First of all, I know you all aware that I’m a big Cheryl fan. Our forum isn’t accessible on smart gadgets and I decided to come on here.

I am a Cheryl fan first, but I’m also a huge fan of Derek. Safe to say that he is my favorite male pro. I want to be a fan of both pros, but it seems to be the hardest thing to do w . So hard to be a fan of both without having to bring the other down. I want to be a part of this forum as well as I really do enjoy and appreciate all the insightful stuff that you come up w here. What a great job you guys are doing for us dwts fans and keeping us informed .Just that the negativites on Cheryl sometimes is overwhelming and hurtful for some of us Cheryl fans to take.

But then I know we (Cheryl fans) are sometimes being mean to Derek and I understand where this whole animosities between the 2 sides are coming from. I won’t speak for all of my fellow Cheryl fans, but I come here speaking for myself alone. I come w peace and I just want to be a fan of Derek as well.

I just want to take this time to say thank you to some of you and finally not judging Cheryl harshly this season. She really is a lovely lady, and Derek and all other pros and celebs wouldn’t be all that endearingly friendly w her if not of the fact that she’s a beautiful person inside and out. However, I’m not here to build Cheryl up.

I just really want to congratulate Derek for a fantastic job he did w Shawn. I didn’t realize how good he really he is till this season. What a difference it makes for Shawn w Derek. I thought if there is that 1 season D is very deserving to win..,,,,def it is this season. I thought he really outdone himself Choreo wise this allstars and I know though they didn’t win, this season made his stars shine brighter.

If he leaves, I will surely miss him just as much as if Cheryl leaves. I love them both, and the only reasons I watch dwts.

I agree Courtney. As much as ilove Cheryl I think a much needed break is prolly the best thing right now. She seems a bit worn out to me and haven’t had the same spunk for quite sometime now. I love her though, and I thought she always does her best w her partners and been tested many times w non experienced
dancers. Your assessment were spot on!

Wishing Derek and Cheryl the very best! And hopefully they both succeed in other endeavours they both take. They sure do have both high star Qualities and can’t wait to see how this new journey for them will unfold. God bless these pros and dancers, and ive always been a fan of great success stories ESP from these dancers. Some of the most talented people in the planet, but always overlooked and underpaid.

Time to shine and be on real spotlight , and be the stars themselves. 🙂

I know I already commented once, so I don’t mean be annoying by commenting twice, but I have a question. If Derek and Cheryl both leave next season, do you think Chelsie would benefit from it? I don’t mean she is the next best pro (by any means), but she would be the only U.S born dancer competing.

Agree about not being very impressed with Peta. And I liked her so much last season. It just shows how much impact the celeb AND pro can have on each other. After the last two seasons, I know the reason I wasn’t too fond of Derek in the past is because Nicole wasn’t somebody I was too keen on, and I absolutely couldn’t stand Jennifer or Ricki. And I didn’t like Helio with Julianne, but he started growing on me with Chelsie.

As far as the troup, I would like to see Henry promoted I guess, I don’t really have a favorite from the guys. Maybe Sonny. Not Sasha. For the women…I don’t like Sharna much either, Oksana seems like too much to take, so by default I go with Emma. I think she’s the best dancer of the three anyway.

Tristan has something to prove for me…he is a cute face who has had limited time due to limiting partners but that doesn’t mean he is going to shine. I think he is a good dancer- he doesn’t blow me out of the water the way Derek and Val dance…they have a presence on the floor- when there is a group number i can always spot those two immediately even if there are 20 dancers…tristan- ehh not so much. I can usually spot mark too bc he tends to hit his lines pretty hard….he has a very specific style that i can usually spot after all these seasons.

I would be fine with Cheryl and Maks leaving – permanently – even though I realize that Cheryl is probably just taking a break and that Maks will finish his contract. I’ve never been a huge fan of Cheryl’s – though I really liked her with Drew when I went back and watched season 2 (didn’t start watching until season 4). Maks – I think I liked him with Tia Carrere, and then with Kirstie. Other than that, I haven’t enjoyed him at all.

As far as Derek leaving – I’m going to miss him. I really missed Julianne when she left, and now Derek… The show’s going to miss him as well. Karina and Kym and occasionally Mark are the only pros that come close as far as choreography, and Kym is the only other pro that consistently pulls the best out of her partners. Karina tries to, I think, but her personality doesn’t seem to mesh with people as well as Kym’s does. I’m not knocking Karina – I enjoy her and have liked her since I first started watching. But some seasons she’s been able to access the best in a person, and some seasons she hasn’t quite done it.

I’m hoping to see Henry become a pro – the rest of the troupe I can take or leave. As far as new female pros, I would love to see Anya Garnis (SYTYCD).

Lindsey, personally, I don’t judge the pros by where they are born, and also personally, I would like to hope that the average person watching doesn’t either. Will Chelsie benefit from being U.S.born? I don’t know. I prefer Karina and Kym over Chelsie, because I like their choreography more than Chelsie’s, and I don’t feel that “it” that grabs me as much as K and K, or my other favorite pros. I’d love to see more pros come out of Utah to join our pros, it does seem like they’ve got some great talent…

Belski, you don’t need permission to like more than one pro, there are many people who do, and it is COMPLETELY possible to have more than one favorite, and it definitely does NOT lower the pro, for having another favorite. I know some people feel the need to tear down another to prove that they are such great fans of “their” pro, but it’s really not necessary. You don’t need to be forgiving, you just need to state your opinions, and RESPECT everyone, and stay the nice person you sound!

I think since Mark got bristol and tristan pamela, they will probably get some good partners this next season. Tristan will have to prove himself as a choreographer, if mark has a good partner he will definitely shine, especially without Derek on the show. Mark can be a hit or miss, but even his misses are better than some pros boring choreo, but when he hits, only Derek can outshine him. Chelsea Kane was not a amazing dancer, but they had some fantastic dances together, and that was the season that derek was out, so I can see something like that happening next season.

They should bring Lacey back for sure, at least she can be fun. And I really hope she gets a really amazing partner, not just good like Lance and Kyle.

It hit me today, with Derek leaving…. As kids competing, Derek, Julianne and Mark were hated, because their competitors felt they won too much. And all 3 grew up and became pros on DWTS and were hated because people felt they won too much.

Glad they all were so consistent, we’ve got a LOT of amazing dances from those 3 to enjoy! And I HOPE the dance standard for the show doesn’t backslide….

It is so interesting to hear what everyone thinks. Personally I don’t want to lose any of those three pros, they are some of my favorites and I think all three with Mark are the most popular pros. Like someone said, if they leave hopefully it is not all at once.

Since a lot of people are talking about Karina’s relationship with the C brothers, I was wondering how her relationship is with Peta?? I know last season they did that dance with Donald but I forget to see their interactions (if they have any) now. Does anyone know?

I am sad that Derek is most likely leaving DWTS. He’s the reason I became a regular fan about 3 yrs ago. I agree that he is SO much better than that show but again, without DWTS, unless you follow competitive ballroom(which I don’t) we wouldn’t have any idea he even existed. Hopefully, they will hire Henry B from the troupe to replace him.

I couldn’t care less about Cheryl or Maks possibly leaving. Maks has SUCH an abrasive personality. Cheryl reallly turned me off when she was partnered with William Levy. Although I don’t watch The Bachelorette, I would if she were on it.

I don’t think the show CAN let all 3 go at once! They’re the 3 pros with the largest fanbases! Having all 3 leave next season would be a HUUUUUUUGGEE risk by TPTB!!! I don’t see it as a risk that would benefit them, and I think that they only take risks if it’s of benefit to TPTB.

Although that said, they could take a gamble that people will tune in next season to see if the show can survive the loss of its 3 most popular pros at one time.

I think Derek is gone as well. His emotional reaction, his breaking all the rules & not caring this season and then Julianne at the last show (when they actually didn’t promote her upcoming movie – which is the only time she returns now) all point to his exit. Whether he comes back or not will probably depend on how successful he is outside of the show (and I do not mean behind the scenes successful). To me, he likes the limelight so if it starts to diminish, he might come back.

Maks uses his words very carefully & I think reporters do not – thus the confusion. He always says the same things. He will be available for as long as he has a contract (which is 2 more years) and he never knows if he is coming back because it is not up to the pros. The producers cast first & then pick the pros to pair up. It all depends on which stars actually sign on the dotted line. In my opinion, if they lose Derek & Cheryl, they will make an all out effort to keep Maks. Love him or hate him – he is a big draw for the show (along with Derek & Cheryl).

Cheryl seemed emotional as well during the taped segment of the show – stating I’ve been here 14 season, it’s hard to see it end. She’s in talks with ABC & I think it would be a boost for that show. I agree she needs DWTS for her other ventures so see a season or two off & then a return.

Tristan needs to get a good partner – he’s popular already. Peta won a season so I do not see her going anywhere or Val with his run this year. I wonder if they will add Sabrina to the troupe (since it was actually mentioned by Peta? during a taped segment – that she could be in the troupe). Do not even know who’s in the troupe – although they seem to be pushing Henry & Sasha – that’s how unforgettable they are right now.

They need to focus on the casting this season to try to reinvigorate the show – no more controversial picks – back to basics – like the idea of having set moves that must be in dances and PLEASE replace Carrie Ann or Bruno – at least one judge needs to go. Would love to see Louis at the judges table.

It would not hurt my feelings if Mark took a season off, finished his album and toured to promote the album. Also agree that Cheryl needs to recharge her creative batteries. Also agree Henry should be promote from Troupe status.

@Violet, I also could not stand Helio season 5, but Chelsie having fun with him made me tolerate him this season.

Oh gosh. Not Louis as a judge. He’s too biased against certain pros. Much better to use PH’s idea and have a list of syllabus steps and a minimum percentage you need to use to get an 8 or above. The judging wouldn’t be as wonky then.

I agree with much of what’s been said above re: Peta; she hasn’t impressed. I really like her last season with Donald, but this season I didn’t enjoy her at all, and she reused choreo from her season with Donald. Plus she danced around Gilles (and she shouldn’t have had to). Tristan I like, but we’ve had no real opportunity to see what he can do. Hopefully we’ll get it, and that he won’t disappoint.

LOL…i think Derek’s tweet last night is the final nail in the coffin…he is not coming back folks…to be honest i don’t think DWTS has that many years left to begin with. Mark Ballas made mention of things coming to an end if they don’t make changes soon, Derek in one of his interviews after the finale saying beyond this season ending, the show in general ending made him conflicted and thats why he was emotional during his package too. Derek will be fine…besides his movie- whether it comes stateside or not will be massively popular in europe if for nothing more than BOA being very popular. He can obv head to Broadway- he did the West End for years and he is better now than he was when he did it at 20 years old or whatever he was then. DWTS was very good to him for it allowed him to showcase all his talents and it did not go unrecognized…some of the best in the business want to work with him and eventually Derek won’t be in the front and center dancing- he is going to be the mastermind behind the scenes….directing, involved in production, lighting, sound. All of his partners point out and talk about his vision- i would say almost none of the other pros do what he does- he makes the costumes, he talks to lighting, sound, works with the music…changes things to build the ultimate piece. Its the little things that people don’t see behind the scenes that makes his pieces stand out. People will realize it more once he is gone…as the saying goes..you don’t realize what you have until its gone:) I wish him all the best and know he will be successful at whatever he does- he was the best at Ballroom, he was great on the West End, he was amazing on DWTS- and this all before the ripe age of 30…i think it is just the beginning of Derek Hough.

Oh, and not sure if anyone picked up on it…but after Derek and Shawn danced they panned to the skybox…melissa and tony were clapping and brooke (who does not hide her love for D.Hough) just sat there with a look of pride, yet sadness, but admiration for Derek…and when she was done interviewing them she said “I am sure going to miss this”.

I do think the show needs new pros. I “the problem” is DWTS has relied too much on “the old” pros and somehow made them the focus. It will be like killing all the main characters of the show. Every show has suffered after that ( AI, 2 1/2 men)

Sandy, I hope you don’t mind, but just a quick correction to your note, but Julianne HAS been in the ballroom several times since she left the show, and not just to promote a movie. Most of the time, she’s been buried in the audience, and NOT front row. Just this season alone, she’s been there once, maybe even twice before this week. And she’s always figured out a way to be there for Derek anytime he’s been in the finals. This time, it was the ONLY time she’s been front row, and the only time that the camera made sure to have her noticed.

joey 51 – agreed! I think Derek will direct something eventually. Not necessarily film, but maybe a variety show or Broadway show. When you listen to his comments in interviews and the video packages over several seasons vs other pros, I feel that no one else went to the depth that he did in every facet (choreography, music, costume, visuals) to produce a show-stopping number each week. He would be a great creative director.

He is also the only person to take time out of a busy season while injured to choreograph and dance in a style that isn’t his main style AND develop a song for it. None of the other pros take the time to do that kind of thing….at least it seems that way, I haven’t seen many of the other pros do anything related to producing a song AND pushing themselves to dance in a different style. I just love the arts and I appreciate talent and creativity and those who push to do new things.

and I for one who give the C brothers a hard time on the regular and their “fam”…it was nice for Val to FINALLY give derek some love and respect on twitter/instagram last night….with Maks following up with a retweet. I think Val saw first hand this season how hard it actually is- its not all about the dancing and i think he has a new found appreciation (even if it will be short-lived:) lol. It was nice to see them all hanging out and have no issues for once.

Come on, Sandy. Julianne has been at the show numerous times when she wasn’t there to promote a movie. She was there earlier this season AT LEAST once and no one even saw her on camera – her tweeting pictures from Derek’s trailer is pretty obvious. If Derek leaves, his coming back will be a long time coming. I’m sure he knows by now that there is no overnight, or over a few months, success in the areas he’s interested in. He’s no fool.

Louis at the judges table is a horrendous idea, what with his head way up Maks’ ass. And speaking of Maks, he’s lived in this country for more than 20 year – any communications issues are HIS fault. He does tease every single season if he’s returning and all you have to do is look at the twitter feed of Lizzie Grubman to see where he gets those ideas from. She’s the worst.

Some great comments. In earlier eras, there were different paths to becoming a director, choreographer, artistic director than now. I hope it’s not Derek’s path, but I can see him doing music videos as a buildup to film director or Broadway show director. Would like to see him re-invent something from the past. Unfortunately, television doesn’t feature entertainment as it used to. Are there are music/skit shows besides something like DWTS-Dean Martin Show, Carol Burnett Show, Hollywood Palace, etc.

LOL…yes they did- more so Val than Maks…he tweeted 2 pics (prob alcohol induced since it was about 2am and they were at the club) but one saying “you already know #dwts #juggernauts @derekhough @maksimc) and another one which is the kicker “best in the game discussing choreography and creataivity @maksmc and @derekhough)- as comical as it is…it was slightly refreshing if that is at all possible!!!! maks then followed up with 2 retweets….it will be short lived but nice for once…bc no one gives them a harder time than me:)

That is nice, good to see. I am a person who just likes people to get along…..:)

I have noticed that Val seems more supportive of Derek than his brother. He has made more positive comments about him and I remember last season got mad and cursed at the camera (results show behind the scenes coverage) when Len knocked Derek for choreography on a great routine.

I re-watched Shawn and Derek’s cha cha last night and it was definitely a goodbye to Derek. Derek saluting the picture of him and Shawn, Tom saying something about going to the judges “for the last time”, Brooke saying “I’m going to miss this.” I think the show handled it beautifully that this was Derek’s last time, kept the focus on Shawn, but were still able to give him the send off he deserved. He will be missed, but he is so much bigger than this show now. He will be great in anything he pursues and I will be along for the ride.

PH…since Derek thanked SJ for inspiring him again and giving him a spark, + also the routine w/Alison…do you think he will continue to dance, do dance projects, just not on DWTS ?? or do you think he is leaving dance(perfoming), period, unless it would be for a movie or something? Also, do you know how the Emmy process works? Does he submit his own work, does the show have to do it or what?

I would think he must have smthg already to hit the public soon(Cobu?) or within 5 or 6 months because he is mostly known by the largelst amount of people from DWTS. Can’t let that familiarity go away because if somthg doesn’t surface for a couple of yrs,it will be a big climb to get people interested enough to see whatever it is. People have the attention span of knats, anymore. And they are on to the next thing…I would think he must be trying to do that live show”thing” in between movies or smthg?? cause he really has shown he needs live reaction to get him to create his most exciting stuff. Feedback to know what works and what doesn’t. Many touring rock stars when interviewed have talked about it. It’s even hard for the 1 and half years to put out an album to get back on tour and get that “feeling they get in front of live audiences. One described as his biggest addiction, a high like no other. And creative people need that.

I doubt he would stop dancing/performing – I think he just wants to do other things and that’s nearly impossible while doing DWTS at the same time.

The show submits the various dances for the pros after consulting with them which dances should be submitted – that’s what I’ve heard in the past, anyway. Right now, I think Derek is able to get two separate submittals/nominations – one for a “body of work” from DWTS, which has been, in the past, up to three different dances from the same Emmy period – that would be ONE nomination. In this case, season 15 and most of season 16 is the eligibility period. He can also do a “team” nomination with Allison Holker for their contemporary piece. I suppose there could be a third one in there, depending on how much the Bhangra guy actually did – did he help choreograph or did he just teach Derek and Shawn the basic moves? From what I understand, the producers ask each of the pros for their input on what to submit – it benefits the show nearly as much as it does the pro to get a nomination. Maybe more.

Unfortunately, Court and I have theorized that the DWTS pros have little chance of nomination or win because the committees are heavily weighted toward contemporary dance (and, therefore, SYTYCD) – they can’t do ballroom and they don’t tend to like ballroom as much, IMO. But, as we saw a few seasons back, Derek got both a nomination for “body of work” (quickstep with Nicole and futuristic paso with Joanna) AND a nomination with Chelsie for their Paso. Prior to that he got a nomination for his Jive with Julianne. Mark got a nomination for “body of work” with Chelsea Kane. I think those are the only recent DWTS examples by actual DWTS pros and not outsiders. It’s really a shame – Louis did an AMAZING AT for SYTYCD that was one of the better dances that season and couldn’t get a nomination. And leaving Derek/Anna’s Paso or Allison/Derek’s Flamenco fusion off was a huge shame as well. Ballroom nominations will be few and far between until SYTYCD is off the air. Derek’s best shot is likely that contemporary piece with Allison.

@PH:
I am assuming Derek is effectively leaving the show after this season to pursue other avenues (and I wish him all the best following his dreams), but I was still wondering… If things don’t go according to plan (God forbid), take more time to lift off than he’d wished (I dearly hope not), or if he suddenly finds himself with some “free time” around the moment when the show’s rolling, do you think he could come back as a last-minute “guest pro” for one season, once in a while? It seems that he’s wise enough to leave all the doors open, and DWTS could be something he does in his down-time… His way to take a break, as it were.

I think Derek has had things in the fire for awhile now…offers are knocking on his door and even if they haven’t come into full fruition- they never will as long as he is working on DWTS and everyone knows that. Once it is known he is done people will be more obliged to speak and want to work with him. He has all the connections in the world to get something going- Nappytabs, Adam Shankman, Kenny Ortega, plus so many more we don’t even know about. I am sure a little backing from Mr. Seacrest doesn’t hurt as well:) thats just my own opinion though…him and julianne have all the talent and the drive but i am sure having seacrest helps with opening doors to get you to at least “talk” to people.

I don’t think the producers can afford to lose three long-standing pros either in one season. I think as long as Maks is signed for two more seasons, then he is the one that stays and Cheryl can take a season off. I don’t worry about Derek one bit and he doesn’t need to hang around DWTS until a new project opens to the public. I think Derek is one that 50 years from now is a talent that will be receiving some lifetime achievement award for his Broadway, film career and whatever else he sets his mind to. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime talent.

I’ve already said where I’m at with Peta on another thread that echoes everyone above. I would say she has a chance of adjusting to a learning curve if she wants to or thinks she needs to. But I think, from the way she loves to constantly point out that she’s with Maks, that she may just think she’s got it made and doesn’t need to do much else. Not that they don’t love each other and good for them but a year ago, she was an unknown with another guy and it seems like she’s hit the jackpot with a better prospect in Maks. I know I’m absolutely speculating on nothing but where would she be without her wagon hitched to his star. Yes, I know I could be totally wrong. Just me speculating. I think her aloofness has really just rubbed me the wrong way.

Mimi, it’s not about Mark’s dances being interesting and Derek’s being interesting…it’s who the competition is in a give year. If there are a bunch of shows with great choreo, that makes it harder to get in. There’s no guarantee. I don’t think there was much to write home about this past season on SYTYCD, but now Smash is getting noms too. We’ll have to wait and see.

Edited by PH – watch it. My point was she has a movie coming out in a few weeks. DWTS never has her in the ballroom when she has an upcoming event and doesn’t promote it. For Rock of Ages and Footloose, they did an entire production. They had her back on to sing when she released her first country album. I’m not saying it isn’t expected (her agent would be a fool not to take advantage & DWTS gets a boost because people love Julianne’s dancing). My point was more that she’s in the audience, sitting front row right behind Tom all night with a moive to promote & the only mention is “your sister is going nuts” and they didn’t even pan to her. In my opinion, she probablly told them she didn’t want to be mentioned because it was Derek’s big night (meaning possibly his last night). I think it was very sisterly of her – just another indication that Derek is likely leaving.

As far as Louis goes, I know he has history with Maks/Val/Tony because he was an instructor, but I found when he blogged a season ago, that he did a very objective job. Would he be able to do that well in a few minutes vs. having time to write a formal review – not sure. I do know when Maks had his spat with the judges, Louis supported him initially stating he was saying what many pros were thinking, but then subsequently criticized him for the way he was handling it (and going on about it). He did not seem to have a problem disagreeing with him then. Compared to Bruno & Carrie Ann that go overboard & are completely inconsistent when judging (with Carrie Ann having her favorites every year – and whoever is dancing with Maks is not one) – I think Louis would be better. He has strong ballroom background & follows the rule to the T – it would seem he would be more objective when applying them. I’d be happy to see any new judges at this point.

Thanks Lori for the kind words. I will surely keep it all in mind. I learned my lessons.

No matter how hard I tried to dislike Derek in the past, I just really couldn’t deny the fact that I admire the guy in every aspect. Not only his passion and amazing talent, but his humility and being so gracious about everything and everybody.

Too bad that this maybe his last season. Part of me wishing he’ll come back for more and for me to have a chance to be a fan of his as well. I tried to vote for him and Shawn, but was too busy. I love the guy, and a little too late to realize that, but he’s got a new fan in me and Im ready to throw my support for him in a whole new level. Can’t wait to see his new movie to come out and will sure support any of his new projects soon. 🙂